


Reparations

by digitaldreams



Category: Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Angst, Blood, Can be seen as romantic or platonic, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mentions of other Chosen Children, Not Beta Read, can't believe i'm doing this again, more 3 am digimon angst from digital, not beta read we die like leomon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25144333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digitaldreams/pseuds/digitaldreams
Summary: Still, Ken didn't know if he would ever be able to forgive himself for it. Takeru might not have minded it, but Ken sure as hell did. How could he move on from something so glaring that he couldn't unsee once he first noticed it? Even if he couldn't see the discolored skin along Takeru's cheek often, when he did catch sight of it, he was reminded all over again of how atrocity and horror ran through his veins just as much as blood did.~~~~~~Ken still has a lot to make up for.
Relationships: Ichijouji Ken & Takaishi Takeru | T.K. Takaishi, Ichijouji Ken/Takaishi Takeru | T.K. Takaishi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	Reparations

It was supposed to be a simple operation. It shouldn't have gone this way. 

What should have been a peaceful trip to the Digital World turned so violently horrifying in such a short amount of time. Ken brushed his dark hair away from his face as the wind beat at his skin. He was in Stingmon's arms, having been separated from the rest of the group not long ago.

Before Stingmon had even been given the chance to form Paildramon, there had been an attack from a few monsters. Ken had no idea where they had come from, and he wasn't too concerned with learning more about them in that moment. Finding a way out of the fight alive was his primary concern. 

Daisuke and Iori were on the ground somewhere, having been cornered by many of the creatures that made up the enemy faction. Hikari and Miyako were separated, and the latter was out of sight. Ken cringed as he realized that they wouldn't be able to form any Jogress Digimon as long as they were so far apart. There were simply too many enemies for the group to come together without a bitter struggle, and Ken's stomach twisted as his teeth gritted. This was not going well, and he had a horrible feeling about the way this was going to end. 

There was a streak of yellow across the sky, prompting Ken to turn his head. Takeru was atop Pegasmon nearby, and they were flying away from a few airborne Digimon that were moving too fast for Ken to be able to identify. 

However, there was one thing that was unmistakable. An attack of curved energy shot through the sky before slamming into Pegasmon's side. Immediately, he was sent off course, and Takeru held on for dear life until the Armor Digimon began to glow and devolve. He shrunk past being Patamon and went straight to Tokomon. 

Ken's eyes went wide, and Stingmon seemed to understand the order before he even said a word. Immediately, Stingmon darted after the falling Tokomon and Takeru. The screams of the blonde boy were torn away by the wind, and Ken felt as if he was going to be sick. 

They were too late. 

Stingmon and Ken were just a few seconds too late, and Takeru disappeared into the scenery below. The trees of the forest blurred together, swallowing up both the child of Hope and his partner. The echo of a body hitting the ground reverberated in Ken's mind, and his eyes went wide as could be. 

Stingmon wove between trees and landed on the ground not long afterwards. Ken practically threw himself out of his partner's arms, nearly tripping and falling into the grass underfoot. He dashed over to where Takeru was on the ground, knowing before he even arrived that he was going to hate whatever he saw. 

Sure enough, the sight of crimson made a wave of fearful nausea slam into Ken's stomach. There were countless cuts on Takeru's body, likely from the branches of the trees overhead. There was red already staining the ground beneath his head, and Ken dropped to his knees as his hands clapped over his mouth. 

He heard buzzing overhead, but he barely registered it. Stingmon looked skyward in his stead before focusing back on Ken. "Birdramon," he told Ken. "The others must have called in reinforcements."

Ken swallowed his nerves with a dull nod. "Yes... Good," he managed to spit out, though the words felt foreign and unfamiliar on his lips. "We have to do something."

Stingmon started to crouch, ready to take off into the sky, but he was cut off as his body began to glow and shrink as he returned to being Wormmon. He whimpered and waddled over to where Ken was sitting. "I'm sorry," he murmured apologetically. 

Ken let a light yet strained smile appear on his face. "Don't apologize. You couldn't have known this would..." His voice trailed off, and Ken looked back down to Takeru. There was only more blood on the grass now, and bruises were starting to rise along the skin that was visible. He had to do something, but what could he do? It wasn't as if he could simply pick Takeru up and start walking.

Even if he was experienced in kendo, that didn't equate Ken as being physically strong enough to pick up someone, much less Takeru, who was the tallest of the second generation of Chosen and had a good few inches on Ken in the height department. Besides, he didn't even know what direction the others were in, and it wouldn't do him any good to start moving in the wrong way. 

Wormmon nudged his way closer to Takeru, realizing that his D-Terminal was still in his pocket. Ken gasped and reached for it, unfolding the device quickly. He got to work on typing a message as soon as he could, his fingers moving quickly under the pressure of the adrenaline that was rushing through his body. 

Once he had sent the message, Ken set the device off to the side, not bothering to close it. He trained his gaze on Takeru once again, feeling tears rise to his eyes. If he and Stingmon had just been a little closer, this wouldn't have happened. Who knew how hurt he truly was? That had been a pretty nasty fall, after all, and there were already so many small injuries. 

Water slid down Ken's cheeks without any input from him, and he reached for Takeru's hat. His hands were trembling, but he still managed to clump the fabric together and press it to the area where he thought the blood was coming from. His fingers were already growing darker thanks to the blood leaking onto his skin, and Ken started to feel sick again. He should have been a bit closer. If he had noticed that attack coming, if he had done something, _anything,_ then this wouldn't have happened, and everyone would be better for it. 

~~~~~

_It didn't take much effort to see the traces that Ken had left upon the Digital World._

_There were still signs of collapsed towers here and there, marks that Ken hated to look at. They made him feel sick whenever he saw them. That wasn't even factoring in all the Digimon that he had hurt, traumatized, due to his rule as the Kaiser. He hated himself for everything he had done. He didn't deserve to run from his sins, and yet, he still found himself turning away from the remaining symbols that he had drawn in crimson agony across the coding of the Digital World._

_But the one that bothered him the most was the one thing he could never run from._

_Wormmon had long since forgiven him since what happened, and while nightmares about what happened were still common, Ken was always reassured that it was alright. Plus, Wormmon had no physical injuries to indicate the months of mistreatment, allowing Ken to avoid thinking about what he had done on his best days._

_The Chosen had become his support system. All of them cared for him, and he felt the same about them in return. Even Iori had come around to him after a while, and Ken had never felt more at home than he did with the rest of them. There was something about the easy dynamic they shared that made Ken feel that maybe, one of these days, everything might be alright._

_He looked into their eyes, gazed upon their faces, and realized that he was cared for. Nothing could bring him down from that perfect feeling._

_At least, nothing aside from the most obvious sign of his tyranny that looked at him all too clearly when he peered too closely._

_The thin scar that rested on Takeru's left temple was often hidden by tufts of golden hair. He hid any unease behind a smile that radiated pure sunshine, but it was still too noticeable for Ken._

_It was proof that he had been a monster, evidence that he had whipped a human._

_It wasn't as if Ken and Takeru ever spoke about the encounter in the Kaiser's base. Takeru forgave Ken, and Ken had chosen not to dredge up the painful memories that had spurred Takeru into rage in the first place. It was rare for Takeru to grow that angry, barely held together against the brutality of trauma that rattled behind bright sapphire eyes, something Ken had learned himself the longer they spent time together._

_Still, Ken didn't know if he would ever be able to forgive himself for it. Takeru might not have minded it, but Ken sure as hell did. How could he move on from something so glaring that he couldn't unsee once he first noticed it? Even if he couldn't see the discolored skin along Takeru's cheek often, when he did catch sight of it, he was reminded all over again of how atrocity and horror ran through his veins just as much as blood did._

_~~~~~_

The message from the D-Terminal reached its intended recipients, and Sora touched down with Birdramon, Jou, and Gomamon a few minutes later. Takeru hadn't gotten any better, and in fact, his face was growing paler. Ken saw a few of his tears splatter onto Takeru's light cheeks before he glanced up to see the new arrivals. 

Sora ran over as soon as she could, and her eyes went wide when she realized what had happened. Ken's message had mentioned that Takeru was hurt, but he hadn't gone into any details. He couldn't bring himself to in his haste, so he left the declaration for help vague. 

Jou seemed to be sick at the sight, and his hand flew up to cover his mouth. He swallowed his nerves and let out a small sigh, leaning over to where Takeru was lying. With some help from Sora, he was able to hoist Takeru into his arms, carrying him over to where Birdramon was waiting nearby. 

Gomamon shuffled over to Ken, concern clear in his bright eyes as he spoke. "Miyako will be here soon to help you out," he explained. "Be careful until then, alright?"

Ken nodded numbly as Gomamon left. He stared at the red in the grass, shaking his head as more tears streaked across his face. Slowly, he managed to reach out for Tokomon, cradling the unconscious Digimon in his arms. An unchained sob wracked his body, and he felt Wormmon nuzzle at his knee in an attempt to relax him. 

Ken patted gently at Wormmon's head, stroking his partner's face carefully. He wanted Miyako to get there already so that they could work this out. The suspense was already killing him, and he needed answers about if Takeru was going to be alright. 

"What if he dies?"

The question left Ken's lips unasked and unwanted, and a gasp could be heard from Wormmon nearby. Once he started talking, he couldn't stop, and he made no efforts to rub at his tears, which were flowing freely now. "He's already hurt, and I don't want to imagine what will happen if things get any worse. I've been responsible for the deaths of so many Digimon, but at least they get reborn. Seeing a human die... I can't do this!" Another sob escaped his mouth, and he trembled furiously as he cried over Tokomon's unconscious body. 

Wormmon shook his head. "It's going to be alright. Trust them. They know what they're doing," he assured Ken. 

Before Ken could say anything else, he heard the thumping side of a Digimon landing from behind him. He turned around to see Aquilamon nearby with Miyako on top. Her hair was a tangled shadow of its regular self, and she was cradling her right arm to her chest. Ken suspected that she had twisted her wrist somewhere during the fight, but he didn't linger on it. 

Miyako was surprisingly silent as Ken picked up Wormmon and mounted Aquilamon behind her. The group took off once again not long afterwards, and Ken wished he had the words to say anything, but his tongue remained stubbornly still throughout the flight. His thoughts swirled with his worst fears coming to life, and he had to bite his lip to keep from devolving into sobs once again. He couldn't resist the guilt rising in his core, and he wondered if he would get the chance to make things right. 

~~~~~

_When Ken closed his eyes, he could still see it._

_In his worst of nightmares, he stood with a whip in one hand in the narrow hallways of the base. A few feet away was Takeru, hat discarded elsewhere as he glared intensely at the Kaiser ahead. There was pure rage in his eyes, and he was about to show his foe everything that he was made of._

_The sharp exchange of words that had played out the first time this series of events transpired was always skipped. Instead, the initial action was the crack of a whip against the air before the edge slammed into the pale temple of Takeru. Immediately, blood began to flow, sending a few ominous drops to the ground. The splatters echoed in Ken's mind._

_This replay of horrors diverted from the original event when the hit was enough to send Takeru stumbling. Dazed by the contact, he fell into the wall, his head spinning from pain and shock. Soon afterwards, rage dissipated, leaving only fear in its place as Takeru's rush of anger faded and he slumped into the ground._

_Ken walked closer, seeing the widened eyes of Takeru as he grew nearer to his victim. Back then, Ken had seen the reflection of the Kaiser within the ocean of Takeru's irises, but now, all he could see was himself. Ken Ichijouji. Short black hair and eyes filled with terror stared back at him, and the whip in between his fingers seemed glued to his palm. He attempted to shake away the weapon, screams leaving his lips to endlessly reverberate in the cramped hall. Takeru's eyes slowly shut, and the blood grew harder to ignore as the dream iteration of Ken's dear friend slipped into unconsciousness at his hands._

_The dream always melted into the same incident afterwards. It was the first time Ken had seen the scar at a sleepover held by Daisuke. Ken had been the first one to wake up when the sunlight kissed his cheeks that morning, though when he imagined it later, it seemed eerie and twisted._

_In between tufts of golden hair, Ken had seen the scar as he looked over Takeru. He had been to the left of the child of Hope that night, all too close to the mark that he had created by his own hands. Ken still remembered how his eyes immediately went wide before he retreated to the empty restroom to sob until there were no tears left to cry._

_Ken didn't know how he was supposed to apologize. Either everyone chose not to acknowledge it or simply didn't know, and the suspense killed him whenever he thought of it. He knew that one of these days, he would have to speak up, but how could he?_

_"I'm sorry for whipping you. I'm sorry for raising my hand to you. I'm sorry for hurting you."_

_No matter how many times he tried to create the syllables, they always died on his lips unformed. The deep hatred that he felt within his core whenever he recalled his misdeeds of the past reminded him of just who he was. He was disgusting, and no amount of apologizing could ever make up for actions that simply couldn't be undone. The flow of time had doomed him to suffer for it eternally, and he deserved it._

~~~~~

When Takeru next woke up, a gasp could be heard off to his side. He fluttered his eyes slowly, and while his body protested, he managed to force himself into the world of the light. There was nothing but white in his field of vision, and his head was pounding. 

"Takeru!" 

Ken appeared above him a few seconds later, concern clear in his dark eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked quickly. Takeru noticed fear wash over his face, and he examined Ken carefully. 

Takeru let out an involuntary groan before nodding. "Y-Yes... I'm fine," he managed to say. In truth, he felt incredibly weak and as if he was on the verge of slipping back into unconsciousness, but Ken was clearly stressed enough as it was, and he didn't want to add to that stress further. "What happened...?"

Ken hesitated before biting his lip. During the pause, Takeru got a better look at his surroundings, and he realized that he was in a hospital. Last he had remembered, he had been in the Digital World fighting with the others, though something had clearly happened to tear him away from the other realm. 

Ken swallowed dryly before speaking up. "We were attacked," he choked out first. "Pegasmon was hit, and then you started falling... Jou said you should be alright soon, but... I'm sorry."

Takeru leaned up slightly, hissing when his body complained at the action before settling back into place. "Sorry?" he echoed. "Why?"

"I should have done something to keep you from getting hurt, but I was too late, and now, you're here. If I had just reacted a little bit faster, then this wouldn't have..." Ken was rambling aimlessly, but his eyes weren't focused on Takeru's sapphire orbs. Instead, he seemed to be concentrated on something off to the left of Takeru's gaze. 

Takeru's stomach sunk when he realized what it was. "It's the scar, isn't it?" he whispered, cutting Ken off before he could continue any further. 

Ken froze, his face growing paler at the words. He let out a sigh, deflating significantly. "I... I hurt you before. I should have done something to keep you from winding up injured again," he managed to tell Takeru slowly. 

"I'm not mad," Takeru immediately told him. "If I was, you would have known that for a while already."

"I'm mad at myself," Ken admitted sharply. His anger was directed not at Takeru, but at his own past actions. "I shouldn't have gone so far. Every single time I see it, I feel sick. I hurt you, and the least I can do after all of that suffering I caused... I told myself I wasn't going to let that happen again, and yet, it did. I failed."

Takeru was silent at first, but he managed to reach out one hand to where Ken's was sitting beside him on the mattress. "Ken... It's alright. You've already shown us that you've changed. I know you're different now."

"That scar will never go away though," Ken insisted. "What I did will never go away. If I can't fix at least that, then what am I supposed to do? I had to try and prevent this, but..."

"I forgive you. I've forgiven you as long as you've been with us trying to reverse your actions. Who cares about a mark on my face? You're different," Takeru assured him, gently squeezing Ken's fingers between his own. 

Ken nodded slowly, the repeated words finally seeming to sink in. He stared at the place where their hands met for a moment before speaking once more. "I thought I was getting better," he murmured. "I thought I was finally moving past it all, but... Then I saw you covered in blood, and... I was wrong."

"We're going to get through this," Takeru told him gently. "Thanks for everything you did today, Ken. I don't know where I would be without you."

Judging by the look of panic that flashed over Ken's eyes for half a second, Takeru knew that he was thinking the simple word 'dead'. Takeru plastered a smile on his face, reaching out to tilt Ken's head upwards to meet his own eyes. "It's okay."

The floodgates seemed to snap with those few words, and Ken's tears picked up once again. He nodded slowly to Takeru. "Thank you," he said softly, the words barely audible. "Thank you so much."

It was hard to say how long they stayed there, Ken crying as Takeru tried to grasp onto whatever little consciousness he still had to remain with his friend. His energy was starting to fade, but he was still determined to try and stay awake for as long as possible. 

After Ken managed to wipe away the last of his tears, he let out a small sigh. "I should call the others... Yamato and Hikari were worried sick. Taichi had to practically drag them both home," he explained. "Jou is looking after Tokomon too. I'm sure he's dying to see you."

This time, when Takeru smiled, it was weary and weak. "Thanks, Ken," he told the older boy. At the surface level, it seemed as if he was simply offering thanks for the information, but the depth of his cerulean eyes said that it was far more than that. 

Ken sniffled and rubbed at his eyes one last time. "You're welcome."

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I was going to go to sleep early, but then I got angst ideas. Nobody is surprised. 
> 
> That being said, it is almost 4 AM, so I'm going to try and make this quick. If you want more Digimon content from me, this isn't my first rodeo. For Adventure content, I have [Apex of the World.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23291467/chapters/55782229) If you're looking for more angst, then I've got [Overdrive,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23889607) some spicy Appmon hurt and comfort in the same vein as this short. Last, I've got my ongoing rewrite of Frontier, [Frontiers Unexplored.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467377/chapters/59050438) Forgive me for being a shameless sellout please. I have no excuse, and I admit it. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this short story! Time for me to go to bed!
> 
> -Digital


End file.
